Tesla Announces First Safety Feature Meant For Your Dog

Good news, dog lovers! Your love for your dog is changing the world for the better. Accommodating pets is no longer limited to pet stores and parks. Restaurants, shops, and other businesses big and small are realizing that making it easier to take your dog everywhere is the key to our hearts – and wallets!

Tesla has announced that it’s Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles will come equipped with a feature called “dog mode,” which will allow pets to stay comfortable while their humans run errands.

This genius idea (and the name) came from a Twitter user who tweeted to Elon Musk, Tesla’s founder, last October. The conversation was simple:

Without discussing what exactly “dog mode” meant with the Twitter user, Tesla came up with a way to keep dogs safe inside their cars while their owners were out. This doesn’t mean that owners should keep their dogs in their cars for hours alone, but if you and your dog are on your way home from a trip to the park and you realize you need cereal at home, you can make a quick stop without worrying that your dog will overheat or put the car into drive because you wanted to leave the A/C on for him. A message reading “Don’t worry! The (A/C -or- heater) is on and it’s (comfortable temperature.)” will be displayed on the Tesla’s screen for anyone who happens to peek inside.

All Tesla drivers will need to do to activate the car’s dog mode is touch an icon – easy. Should the car’s charge reach less 20%, you’ll receive a notification letting you know that it’s time to get back to your vehicle.

In the summer months we hear far too many stories about dogs left in hot cars. Some states have passed laws protecting Good Samaritans who see pets in distress and come to their rescue, but people often have to risk legal action for protecting the life of a someone else’s pet. Tesla’s dog mode could save a lot more than just broken windows, it could save the lives of pets.

It could also save you from embarrassing public shaming situations like this one: